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The new NUI Galway Water Research Facility at Tuam, Co. Galway
has been officially opened by Michael Finneran, TD, Minister
for Housing & Local Services.
Core funding to establish the facility was provided by the
EPA through its STRIVE Research Programme and by NUI Galway.
Located on the site of Tuam Waste Water Treatment Plant,
the facility is a full-scale test-bed for novel waste water
and water treatment technologies. There are already a
range of NUI Galway research projects on new green technologies
underway at the Water Research Facility.
EPA Director, Laura Burke said - “With a rising population
and increasing requirements for improved water quality, there
is a real need to develop and optimise waste water treatment
systems - especially for villages and small towns. I expect
that this facility will play a strong role in developing new
indigenous solutions to protect the environment and deliver
economic growth.”
In order to minimise the environmental impact of sewage discharges,
effective systems are required to treat waste water and ensure
clean and safe waters. By using influent taken from Tuam town
waste water, the facility provides researchers and manufacturers
with opportunities to evaluate novel technologies under realistic
conditions.
Effluent from the research facility is returned to the main
Tuam WWTP, ensuring there is no risk to the environment from
the development work. Operating at a scale equivalent to a
village with a population of 400, this system offers high
performance at low operating costs. It is estimated that this
new technology will allow the plant to operate at approximately
25% of typical running costs for a conventional activated
sludge plant of similar size.
Speaking at the opening of the facility, Minister Finneran
said - “Work funded through the EPA STRIVE Research programme
is continuing to deliver new and innovative responses to environmental
problems, while also making a significant contribution to
the development of Ireland’s Smart Economy.
"The Tuam Water Research Facility is an excellent example
of this - employing solutions generated by Irish researchers
to deliver high performance results at low operating costs.
As work progresses at the facility, it will also contribute
towards implementation of the Water Framework Directive in
Ireland.”
Commenting on the work carried out to-date, Professor Terry
Smith, Vice-President of Research at NUI Galway, noted - "The
Tuam Water Research Facility provides a world-class facility
for carrying out collaborative cutting-edge research for research
institutions and industry on full-scale, smart, green technologies
that purify water and wastewater. The Water Research Facility
has great potential to give Irish companies an innovative
advantage in increasing its share of the international environmental
technologies market, worth €227 billion per year in the EU
alone.”
Jim Cullen, Director of Service, Environment & Water
Services Unit at Galway County Council added - “This plant
demonstrates the value of co-operation between researchers
and government bodies working in the same area. By working
closely with local researchers, Galway County Council is pleased
to have supported the establishment of this impressive facility,
which we expect to deliver working solutions that will assist
us in meeting our water treatment needs.”
Whilst core funding was provided by the EPA and NUI Galway,
additional critical support came from Galway County Council,
who provided the site and carried out civil engineering works.
A range of industrial partners, including the main Commercial
Partners - Response
Group Ltd - also contributed resources and equipment.
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